The Early Autumn
by jack it up judy
Summary: SSOC Severus is weary and worn from the strain of his complex life. The Order, the Dark Lord, and the students have simply drained him. His ambition is not enough to quell his melancholy and no change is in sight. Will a mysterious new student bring h
1. A Shoreline Perspective

_the early autumn_

_a fic by jack it up judy_

_disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters created by the infamous J.K. Might I make it quite clear, however, that if I did own them, I would most certainly not be writing on _

_a shoreline perspective:_

The leaves fell in slightly awkward patterns across the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Their colors seemed to shimmer slightly as they languidly floated to the earth in the sunlight of a mid-August afternoon. In a matter of weeks, the students would crowd into the castle, clamoring along through the corridors and bringing with them their inane laughter and volumes of useless conversation; but, for now, all was quiet throughout the school. The only echoes that sounded were from the few ghosts that drifted throughout the school, and the rest of the staff but, of course, the professors were generally quiet anyway.

This quiet blanketed the entire grounds, as though they were holding their breath until the students finally arrived. The fog had cleared from the lake and the warm air suggested that, perhaps, if they, the children, would come back right now, it would retain the last warmth of summer for just a bit longer. Along the shore of the lake, a man walked in somber silence and was lost within himself. He searched the profound depths of his psyche for something to bring him back to the surface so that he might prepare himself for the coming of the children, and the end to what little solace he had left. For once they returned, his guard would be running at full force once more, and this sanctuary that the headmaster had provided him for so many years would be as equally dangerous as the world lingering outside of the gates.

His long, pallid fingers ran through his dark hair and his downcast eyes closed in frustration. His heart nearly sank to the bottom of the lake to intertwine its sinews with the weeds. He thought intently upon the numb anger in his stomach. His complexion paled as he recalled Potter's embarrassing glimpse into his past. Had his suffering not been enough? It was painful enough to think upon those years so long ago, yet alone, his current status. The days were taking their toll on his now 46 year old body, and his arm still stun ever so slightly from his last meeting with the death-eaters. His demeanor stiffened a bit, however, as he recalled that violent meeting. Of course, he had already known that he was to be punished that evening as a result of not detailing in full the most recent meeting of the Order. He had been, as the Dark Lord had explained, "too vague" and dishonesty was not something that went without consequences, but of course, not much did come without consequences when in accordance with the Death Eaters...but, Severus Snape, for all that he was, was not one to feel sorry for himself for too long, rather, he was a man who, very nearly, never felt sorry for himself. This was a rare occasion indeed, but perhaps, upon coming to the unfortunate conclusion that his suffering would most likely never cease, Severus' strong disposition had faltered for a small time.

Now, as he sat beside the shore, thoughtfully listening to the dull sound of the water lapping against the pebble-filled sand, he straightened himself up a bit, no longer crouching in his only self-aware position. His dark eyes were drawn to a shape moving in the distance, far across the lake's murky depths. It ambled slowly along the shoreline, looking in his direction ever so often. The soft curves of the form presented itself to be a woman as it paused its promenade and stared directly at the plaintive potions professor. Long, dark hair tousled gently in the breeze against warm, tawny-colored skin and deep-azure, summer robes. The woman appeared melancholy as she stared in his direction, but nothing could be certain with such distance. Severus gradually drew himself to full height and peered curiously at the girl. Who she was was uncertain, for he knew of no guests visiting, nor of any new faculty members that he hadn't previously met. A stranger, yet, she studied him without removing her gaze.

The warm air stagnated over the lake and Severus, at last, coming to his senses, called out to her. "You there!" His voice was hoarse and throaty from his previous surprise. "Girl, or whomever. Who are you?" He began to walk quickly along the beach in the woman's direction. She, the stranger, abruptly looked away and began off in the opposite way. It was obvious that he would not catch up to her, and yet, his resounding, "Stop!" was proof enough that he was too stubborn to cease his pursuit. His curiosity had gotten the better of him and without eye-contact, he could not very well use legillemens to ascertain the girl's identity.

Suddenly, as he broke into a near-run, she crouched down near the edge of the water and then, disappeared entirely. She had not fallen in, nor had she entered the water, for no splashing sound had been heard. Severus' sprinting lapsed and he slowed to a walk once more. It was of no use. Perhaps she had a potion or invisibility cloak of some sort, but it was certain that he would not find her now. Perhaps it did not matter, though. What difference would it have made? Later on, Severus would have convinced himself that it was an illusion or hallucination of some sort as he prepared for himself a vile of dreamless-sleep potion and drank it down. As he lay restlessly upon his bed, he gave up the notion of forcing himself to forget the seemingly meaningless events of the afternoon and merely drifted off into an transient state of unconsciousness.


	2. A Lack of Color

_Chapter Two: A Lack of Color_

_Disclaimer can be found in first entry._

_-Jack it up Judy_

The next morning revealed itself to be yet another glorious, beautiful day. The clouds drifted lazily overhead, the sun shone brightly, but, all of this was of no consequence to Severus Snape. He scarcely regarded the weather at all as he paced about his bedroom. His mood had darkened substantially since waking. When he had first opened his eyes, his mind was clear and although not in good spirits, he had remained calm and prepared to go on with the morning as usual. This state of things, however, had not endured for long. After the potions professor had finished bathing and dressing, he was startled by a knock at his chamber door.

"Come in," Severus said quietly, his voice slightly irritated. The door opened and a small creature that presented itself to be a house elf scuttered in with a small letter in hand.

" Good morning, Professor." The house elf bowed subserviently, looking frightened. He handed Severus the letter and abruptly turned on his heels and left the room. Severus closed the doors softly and stood looking at the envelope. His eyes narrowed as he turned it over and found no marking upon it to reveal from whom the letter was. Stiffly, he walked to his wide, ebony-laden desk and sat down with a frown upon his face. The curving, precise penmanship was distinctly feminine, and there was a lack of unnecessary flourishing.

_Professor Snape,_

_I must humbly apologize for the incident that occurred only yesterday. I am sorry if I had startled you, and I am also apologetic for my actions that followed your attempted confrontation. I did not recognize you, and I was apprehensive of your pursuit. Please forgive my naivete and I hope this did not bring about an extraneous amount of confusion._

_-regards,_

_A. E. Partana_

Severus looked upon the letter and read it twice more, before letting out a sigh of frustration. His lips pursed slightly, making his mouth look like a thin, straight line. "Could this woman be any more ambiguous?" He muttered, and tossed the letter aside and stared at it for a moment. With more than a little vexation, he stood and stormed out of the room. His anger was controlled, and yet his irritation was increased substantially by such a nebulous letter. Snape made his way fiercely down the corridors towards the kitchen. _Who_, he asked himself, _is this woman?_ Now that he was aware that she was not an illusion of some kind, his curiosity had grown even more so than it had been the day previous. His large, rushed strides were slowed to a quick walk as the portrait of the pear came into view. For a moment, he stood before the pear and gathered his composure, he did not want to frighten elf so much that he would not receive a clear answer. After a slow, steady breath, Severus forced a look of indifference upon his face and tickled the pear.

The kitchen was bustling with preparations for the students' return, but Severus paced slowly through the room and sought out the elf that had delivered the letter. A few random house elves rushed past him, and in their hurry, unintentionally bumped into the professor. Each of them apologized profusely, but were quickly dismissed by Snape. Searching through the steam that surrounded each of the stoves, at last, the short, jangly-legged elf he was searching for revealed himself. Sitting near the hearth of the fireplace, a scrawny elf with a mottled gray nose was peeling potatoes. As Severus approached, the fear in the elf's eyes was clear. Dropping the bowl, the frightened elf jumped to its feet and stood before Snape with the peeled potatoes rolling about its feet.

"Professor! ! D-d-do you need something? Is there anything I could get for you?" The elf said in a panicked and thin voice. "I could make you anything you'd like!" Snape loomed over the elf and furrowed his brows.

"Tell me who gave you this letter, now, or you shall be very sorry," said the professor venomously. The little elf's knees buckled and his voice became very meek as he strained keep his voice steady.

"W-w-w-welll...you see, P-p-professor, I can't say...the pretty lady told Sleach that he c-couldn't say." At this, Snape crouched down and picked the small creature up by the shoulders and shook him furiously.

"IF YOU DO NOT TELL ME WHAT I ASK-"

"Sleach is very sorry, sir! Please do not hurt him! The lady is staying in a room near the Ravenclaw dormitory! Sleach will take you there right now!" The fright in the eyes of the elf seemed to plead with the Professor.

"Very well, then," Snape said calmly and gently lowered Sleach to the floor.

"Thank you sir, for being so forgiving!" Sleach proceeded to kneel and hug the professors ankles. Snape shook him off and gave him an icy look. Sleach stopped immediately and stood.

"Lead the way, if you please.," said Snape. The elf obeyed and Severus followed him through the kitchen, down the many corridors, and up the many flights of stairs towards the Ravenclaw dormitories. Sleach stopped before an elaborate painting of a

nighttime seascape. The waves in the painting tousled softly and one could almost smell the brine in the air.

"This is her door sir. Sleach does not know the password, but Sleach is sure that Professor could easily open it." The elf nodded enthusiastically, but Severus remained stoical.

"I do not think that would be necessary, at the moment," Severus said thoughtfully. "You will come to my chambers in precisely one hour and you will deliver a letter to this woman. Is that understood?" Sleach nodded in agreement.

"Sleach understands!"

"Good, then leave now, and come for the letter in an hour."

"Yes, professor!" The elf scampered off down the darkened corridor and left Severus standing alone before the painting. He frowned as he watched the waves in the painting, rolling so carelessly beneath the pallid moonlight. A soft look of reminiscence appeared upon his face, his thoughts weaving in and out of various memories, but the look vanished nearly as quickly as it had appeared. Cautiously, Snape looked about him, checking for witnesses, and when he was sure that he was alone, he gave a quick wave of his wand, and the painting swung open, effortlessly. The potions professor looked about him once more, and then disappeared into the quiet darkness of the room.


	3. A Darker Shade of Curiousity

_A Darker Shade of Curiosity_

disclaimer: can be found in first entry

The fire was still burning in the hearth as Severus came quietly into the girl's room. The soft glow of candles cast a dull light upon the small quarters; a large four-poster bed, a large leather chair, and an ancient-looking desk took up most of the space. Beyond the general furniture there was little else to be seen. He crept further into the room and saw a door that led into a private bathroom. On the walls of the room there were a few beautiful paintings of Italian villas by the sea and ships crashing through the waves of a powerful storm. A large window with a window seat took up one corner of the room, a thick book lay with pages open upon it.

Severus, never failing to be curious, went to the window and picked up the book and perused through its pages. He sneered at it. "Utopia. How dull." After reading a few sentences from the page, he placed the book back on the cushion and stepped over to the desk. A piece of parchment, and ink lay atop its surface. Severus pulled a drawer open and saw nothing of interest among its ordinary contents. He began to close it when something caught his eye. He reached into the drawer and revealed a photograph with a young, beautiful woman in it. She was standing next to a tall, gray-haired wizard and they were waving happily in the sunshine before a large manor. Her long, dark hair danced in the wind as it blew and rustled the deep-green robes she wore. The old man merely nodded with a thin smile upon his face.

"Is this actually her?" He muttered, "How strange." Severus eyed the photo carefully, memorizing the features on her classic face and scrutinizing the most minute details. He began to lower the photograph back into the drawer but drew it away once more and placed it in his pocket. He began to kneel down to look in the other drawers but he stopped abruptly. "Someone is coming," he sensed. He muttered a spell quietly and went quickly to the door and burst out of it. He looked about himself and although he felt as though he wasn't alone, he saw no one else. Suspiciously, he walked very slowly away from the painting and stopped once more, looked back, and then finally left for the dungeons.

As he grew nearer to his own quarters, he retrieved the photograph from his robes and stared into it beneath the torches. His shoes echoed down the empty corridors and, knowing that he was alone, slowed his pace and simply pondered about the woman. What would he write in his letter? Should he ignore whoever this girl was and if not, what would be the point? His mind spun with various ideas of whom the woman might be, starting from McGonnigal's cousin to some strange, "psychic" relative of that bloody divination professor.

He approached the door to his classroom and unlocked it with his key, pushing it open slowly and shutting it behind him. Photo in hand, he went to his desk and pulled out a piece of parchment and his plume and began to form his letter.

_To A. E. Partana,_

_The occurrences that took place by the lake the other day were most peculiar and if I may, quite aggravating. Your apology is lacking in explanation and as such, have left me rather curious. As such, I request that you take your dinner tonight as usual and meet with me in my quarters thereafter. I hope that this is of no trouble to you and I look forward to meeting with you after you've dined._

_-Professor Severus Snape _

After rereading his letter for any error, Severus rolled the parchment and sealed it with a quick wave of his wand. He stared at it for a moment with mild concern that it sounded too aimiable for his liking but dismissed the thought and placed it far away from him on his desk. Not knowing what else to do, the Professor simply sat with his hands folded upon the desk staring at the clock. He realized that Sleach would not return for the letter for another fifteen minutes or so, but he remained as he was, unmoving until finally the scrawny house-elf knocked on the door.

"Professor Snape, Sleach is here to deliver your letter, sir. May Sleach come in?" The elf asked in a strained little voice from the other side.

Severus looked up at the door. "Yes, yes. Of course, come in and get it."

"Very well," Sleach said as he meekly peered from behind the door. He hobbled up to the desk and looked at Severus with his big brown eyes.

"Is there anything else, sir?"

"No, please, just deliver this and ask her not to be late."

"Yes, sir."

With that, Sleach bowed with buckling knees and made his way out the door. Severus watched him go and then rested his head in his hands. "Now what, Snape?" He asked himself and prepared for a long five and a half hours until dinner.


	4. The Evening Conversation

_The Evening Conversation_

_disclaimer- found in entry one_

The wait had been more than excruciating. Severus' hands were a nearly bloodless white from having his fists clenched for so long. Ordinarily he would have used the leisure time for more practical means. There was some terrible scandal going on in Italy involving a supposed "panacea", rumored to cure, completely, an extensive amount of lethal ailments that existed in the wizarding world. The news had arrived to him from a colleague living in North Africa merely a few months ago. Apparently, if the rumors were true, the elixir would mark a staggering blow to not only modern potion research, but also, the wizarding world as a whole. Unforgivable crimes were being committed in eastern Europe and Western Russia, new advances in the dark arts threatened the rest of the world. There were so many different problems for the Order to keep track of, that Severus could scarcely cease to worry about it.

Severus, clad in his usual dark attire, became very aware of his classroom and the state of things within his personal quarters. Standing and straightening his collar, he walked through the back door of his dingy classroom, and after a short walk through a narrow corridor, came to his own private study. The room was impressive. Candlesticks glowed upon the bedecked hearth of his large fireplace. Simple wood flooring was made warm by a large Persian rug with rich, twisting colors intertwined with lotus flowers.

The large collection of books displayed in cases covered the walls, all were well dusted and it was blatantly clear that Severus took exceptionally good care of his personal library. His two large, leather arm chairs were placed before the roaring fire, and a small writing desk was off to the right side of the room. Severus closed the door behind him and went to the most right armchair before the hearth. He sank into it and sighed inwardly. "This is daft," he folded his arms across his chest. His voice was low enough for himself to hear but he looked to the door out of habit. "All this inane anxiousness over a bloody woman. very fine indeed."

A quarter-hour, perhaps, passed before he, at last, heard the footsteps coming down the corridor. He could sense her, and stood before the fire place and clasped his hands behind the small of his back. He forced his anxiety to leave from his mind and his mouth relaxed into a thin line. A knock sounded upon the door to the study and Severus straightened and without hesitation, clearly spoke.

"Come in," he said, still facing the fire. The sound of the doorknob turning, the creak of the door as it opened. A few footsteps upon the wooden floor.

"Good evening," Severus began in a low, rich tone. "Come in. Please-" Severus began to slowly turn around and saw before his eyes the mysterious woman from the lake. She was lovely and unique-looking, and adorned in long, lily-white, silk robes. The candlelight glimmered off of the small, polished beads and shimmering tracery upon the fabric. She was slender, a bit small, but still radiant. Severus noted that she looked differently from the photograph that he had taken from her room. Her hair was now longer and cascaded to her small waist and shone in the light. Her skin was olive-toned and round her delicate neck was a thin, silver chain and at the end of it, a small glowing blue pendant. She smiled weakly at the professor.

"Please, close the door behind you." She did as instructed and then stood, simply staring at him. She moved forward and came close to Severus and bowed her head slightly at him.

"Bonjour, Professeur..." she paused a moment and squinted as though trying to recall his name, "Snape?" Snape looked at her dumbly, as though staring directly at a phantom from a dream. Her voice was rich and warm and, although the room was dim, it seemed to lighten it. "Je m'appelle Avacia Elysiana Partana. Parle-vous francais, Professeur?" She paused for a moment. "Or," She spoke in very clear, perfect English, "Perhaps I was misinformed?" She stepped closer to Severus and her face was clear in the glow of the candle light. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled in the lambency of the flames and he was rather taken aback as she stared intently into his own. He gazed at her face and his eyes lingered on her perfectly shaped lips. "She appears so young..." he thought and, before she questioned him, he caught himself and at last, responded.

"Oui, je parle francais. C'est un langue beau, ou, je pence bon que...n'est pas? Qui'est-ce que tu, encore?"

"My name is Avacia Elysiana Partana...or, Ava, if you'd like...my given name is a bit...longwinded, I'm afraid.."

"I understood that before..Where are you from?"

"I've come here just recently from France, but originally, I was born in Italy. Scotland is beautiful, though. This is my first time to this country, but I've enjoyed it so far."

"Very interesting. Your English is perfect and I am assuming that you speak Italian as well?" Severus asked, intrigued.

"Yes, I do." She nodded and then gazed about the room a bit. "Your collection is quite large, if I may say. I love to read about all different kinds of things, even some Muggle literature; but I must say, that the Hogwart's library is impressive, I have heard much of the vast amount of rare tombs that the school has to offer, and I have to admit, that was part of the allure of coming here." She continued to look around at Severus' books until he spoke once more.

"Hogwart's has a lot to offer as far as literature, is concerned. We have the most concise collection of ancient spell books in this part of Europe. I'm sure that you've already been informed that as a visitor, you're entirely welcome to peruse through any of the books at your leisure. Ah," Severus said and motioned for the girl to sit down. After she had sat down, he continued. "That brings up one point that I had been musing over. I wasn't aware there was to be a guest on the premises before courses resumed, are you a friend of one of the staff members, perhaps?" His voice was low and steady, but his last, "perhaps?" sounded a bit softer than he had intended.

Avacia smiled slightly, and glanced at the professor as though he was joking, "Why, no...actually, I'm to attend classes here, once the semester begins, that is. I'm a student, of course." Her smile held true for only a moment, for the grimace on Severus' face had a way of souring any grin...a swallow resonated from deep within his throat and he sat back into his chair, folding arms across his chest.

"Yes, this will be my seventh year, actually."

Severus replied with a gasp of mock-surprise. "Seventh year..hm. Well, I suppose that very well explains your behavior at the lake, doesn't it, Miss Partana?"

"I am not quite sure what to say, Professor Snape..I believe that I have already apologized for that. I've told you that I wasn't certain who you were at the time. Who did you think that I was?" The girl's voice was slightly strained. She was quite frankly, completely taken aback by Severus' sudden change in demeanor.

"Very well, it is of little importance any way. May I inquire which house you've been sorted into, Miss Partana?" His change of tone indicated that he was already bored with their conversation and without saying the words, he implied that he wanted her to leave immediately.

"Slytherin, sir..I think that, if you don't mind, I'll be off to bed now." Ava's eyes looked away from Snape and towards the door. Her defeated tone insinuated that she was hurt by his sudden disinterest but she had completely given up. Snape said nothing and she proceded to the door.

"Wait one moment. Come here." Severus commanded. As though she was compelled to do as he asked, she was suddenly merely inches away from his face. His black eyes bore deeply into her own and she could feel a strange force over her. The bizarre feeling lingered for what felt like an eternity until, unanticipatedly, it was gone and Snape looked at her as though she was delaying her leave. "Well?" Severus said as he turned away from her and looked into the hearth of the fireplace, "What are you waiting for?"

"I..I.." Unsure of what she was still doing within his chambers, Avacia slowly backed towards the door and turned away. "Bon soir, Professeur.."

He watched the swish of her white robes as she closed the door behind her and listened as her footsteps echoed down the hall. His gaze then returned to the fireplace and he immersed himself deep in thought, pondering the events that would come to be.


	5. Such A Vivid Green

She was a liar. Avacia Partana, beautiful and mysterious in all senses, was a complete and utter liar, and her nonsense was something that Severus Snape would not let linger. Knowing this information though, did not derail his curiosity, especially after such an intriguing glimpse into her own private thoughts. A few long, weary, and excruciatingly beautiful days passed before he even began to think about actually seeking the girl out once more, but his mind had been set upon it since her dismissal from his study.

_"Wait one moment. Come here." Severus commanded. As though she was compelled to do as he asked, she was suddenly merely inches away from his face. His black eyes bore deeply into her own and she could feel a strange force over her. The bizarre feeling lingered for what felt like an eternity until, unanticipatedly, it was gone and Snape looked at her as though she was delaying her leave. "Well?" Severus said as he turned away from her and looked into the hearth of the fireplace, "What are you waiting for?"_

She had left after that, it was his own doing of course, but for all that he was, Severus was still very proud and upon the girl's revealment of her age, he was rather abashed from his own naivety. In truth, he had taken her for twenty or so, at the least, and well, apart from the fact that the girl was a student, she was stunning. That fact alone, along with her complete falsity, disgusted him while he was still compelled to know her on a personal level. That night, after she had left, the professor had found no sleep and only thought of the things that he had seen while searching the depths of the girls mind. He couldn't force the images away, they were too strange, memories best kept quiet, and yet he now understood how such a beautiful and soft-mannered girl such as she was sorted into Slytherin house.

Avacia Elysiana Partana was not just an ordinary witch, of this, Severus was now sure of. She was incredibly brilliant, and through his legilimens he saw a small glimpse of her intelligence. She was indeed a recent student of Beauxbatons, but her skill level in nearly every aspect of general magical studies was far greater than her peers in France and she had finished all offered courses nearly a year and a half ago. Not only that, but also, the girl was very aware of her very promising... powers of persuasion. While it wasn't clear exactly what her past truly held, Severus was almost sure that it was positively infested with the dark arts in some way or another. A threat, though? It was truly hard to ascertain. Dumbledore must have been aware of her past, and yet, it made no sense. Severus had thought long about this and could still not be sure that she was merely at Hogwarts to study. He simply needed more information, and well, Severus had little else to do before the students returned, he couldn't allow something this interesting to just slip between his fingers.

After a short breakfast, Severus, his mind reeling, set out for a short walk , a bit of fresh air, and the intention of finding Miss Partana and asking her a few questions. He calmly paced through the dead leaves upon the soft ground, breathing in the sweet and cool breeze and keeping his eyes open for the girl.

Severus ran a hand through his long, dark hair and scowled. "If I tell the girl that I've used occulmency on her, she'll probably avoid any further contact with me, so that will not do..but, perhaps I can just be more amiable, it may be better to keep things quiet for some time," he sighed deeply. " If I can stand it, that is." He needed no childishness from her. He could abstain from being cruel as well as he could abstain from being wistful for intelligent conversation. All hopes of that disappeared with her place as a Hogwart's student. He had been foolish, but all would be well soon enough. The day was new and bright, the time, plenty, and before the evening came, he would speak to her, and know more than he did now.

Augusts' end had not yet arrived, but a slight chill had taken to the air and a sparse breeze playfully blew throughout the grounds and the sun glowed brightly with an air of careless pleasure. Severus walked slowly across the soft green grass and took in the beauty of the afternoon. His mind buzzed with thoughts, ones that mostly concerned Avacia Partana. Through his legillemens, he had seen things that he had never wished or believed he would see in the mind of a seventeen-year-old girl and his curiosity had paid off in a way, for the professor knew more of the girl than he really would have liked to know, and his mind was positively swimming. The girl's beauty had concealed her utterly devious intentions. Avacia Partana was not the young and innocent girl that she appeared to be and he would make sure that the world knew of it. First, however, he would need to know more, and he knew that he could not simply read her mind and search through her memories once more, there was a possibility that she would know. No, to really know her true intent, she would have to trust him, and trust was not something that came easily when concerned with Severus.

The professor ambled down the hillside and came to the calm waters of the lake. He looked about himself and pulled out the photograph of the young witch. He softly muttered a spell, "Peto quod reperio," and flicked his wand at the image of Avacia. A dim light glowed from the end of the wand and the photograph transformed into a picture of the girl sitting beneath a tree with a book in her lap. He flicked the wand once more and a small orb appeared before him and floated gently in the air. "Take me to her, " he commanded roughly and the orb began to bob and float in another direction. Severus followed suit and the orb floated off towards the other side of the grounds near the quidditch fields. A few minutes passed as he walked and the orb glowed even more brightly as the playing field came into view. His pace slowed as he came over the crest of a steep and grassy hill and he looked down into the shallow valley beneath him.

He eyed the expanse of green and colored leaves ahead of him. As he glanced towards the few ancient oaks that lay in the distance, a bright flash of emerald green caught his ink-pool eyes. He stared towards a tall and still relatively leaf-covered tree to his far right and saw her. The girl's dark hair blew carelessly in the wind and she appeared lost in the book she held in her small hands. Severus caught his breath in his throat and with a flick of his wand, the glowing orb disappeared and the photograph returned to its former image. His mind was reeling, and his pallid hand clenched his wand constructively. What could he way to redress his former actions? He did not know. He could only hope that his negativity could remain in check and his pride would not surface; he could not afford to dismiss her so rudely again. The wizard stared long at the girl, thinking of what to tell her. Her vivid green robes softly reflected the light off of their sheen surface and her face was stoic and calm, contrasting the professor entirely.

There was only one thing that he could say, and as much as he detested the words, he could think of no other way to approach her. He would have to apologize and it nearly made him sick to his stomach to think about it. As he approached the tree, Severus straightened himself, replaced his wand within his robes and walked quickly to the young girl. As he drew nearer, she did not move, even though he was certain he would be heard. As he came closer to her, the scent of lilacs filled his nose and he stopped about a yard behind her. Severus opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as she greeted him first.

"Ho saputo che verreste, Professore Snape," she said in Italian. When Snape did not answer, she repeated herself. "I knew you would come, Professor Snape. I can't pretend to know the reason, though." Miss Partana stood and turned to Snape, and tucked her hair behind her ear. Around her neck, the blue pendant she had worn before glowed brightly, radiating a light all its own. She walked closer to him and stared intently into his eyes. "How are you?" She asked politely.

"Hello, Miss Partana. I am fine and well, thank you very much. But tell me, how do you fair this day?" Severus asked without showing any expression. He crossed his arms tightly across his chest and stared down at her.

"I am very well, thank you. Tell me Professor, what brings you here? I believe you made it quite clear that you had no further wish to speak to me again, and yet, here you are. This is most confusing, you do know that?" She raised a delicate eyebrow in irritation and tilted her head to the side in curiosity. Snape frowned with annoyance, but the expression was gone quickly. He mustn't let her childishness get the better of him. The professor was too intent on finding her true means to let his fool-hardy pride get the better of him.

He cleared his throat and cast a look of mere indifference across his face. "I understand that you are mostly likely upset after your dismissal from my chambers last night, but I have come to make amends, that is, if you will allow me to."

She looked at the wizard with an unconvinced expression upon her lovely face. "Am I really to believe that was the best apology that you could come up with, Professor? If it was, you're really going to have to try a bit harder. Last evening, you had written me a letter insinuating that you were curious to meet me, am I correct?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps. I was curious about the strange activity that took place at the lake, and I am not used to merely forgetting such bizarre occurrences. I'm sure you understand. My curiosity was indeed genuine. I am afraid that I was a bit harsh to you though. For that, I must sincerely apologize. I was rude."

"Of course you were rude, and it really isn't that, that bothers me. What truly upsets me is that I was excited to meet a professor with such extensive knowledge of potions, but once I speak with him, he dismisses me for apparently no reason whatsoever." Snape eyed the girl carefully, not liking where the conversation was going. "Professor Snape, why exactly were you so amiable to me before you learned my identity, and why were you so completely malicious after you were aware of it? "

"I am afraid that you couldn't possibly understand the answer," Snape hissed, frowning grimly.

"Oh, I see. You were just angry that you were so worried about an average student-girl, am I correct? You couldn't handle the fact that you were so worked up about a regular witch instead of something interesting. Well, I apologize Professor," she seethed loathsomely, "but I am nothing more than just a girl. You can stop tormenting me for ruining your day, really. It will save you a lot of troublesome time." She began to turn away and held her book to her chest. "Good day, Professor." Severus glared at Miss Partana's back, wanting to shout hex after hex at her, but after a deep breath, he had calmed his temper and walked after her.

"Miss Partana, please wait."

"What for? I was sure that our conversation was over. If you dislike me, I really do not care, but I will not be hassled any longer simply because you are bored and enjoy seeing me squirm."

"I apologize, Miss Partana. Truly." Severus sighed in frustration. " It was not appropriate to dismiss you or to treat you so rudely. I merely want to talk to you."

Avacia slowed to a stop and glanced toward the man in black behind her. "Do you really mean that, or are you just trying to get at something?"

"Honestly. Merlin, how can you be so frustrating? I said that I was sorry. I will not repeat myself." Severus looked down his nose at her and she turned completely around to face him. Her eyes glimmered in the sunlight and she smirked.

"Alright, then. I accept your apology Professor, but I really do not know why you have such a distinct urge to speak with me. I have nothing that could possibly interest you, I'm sure." She sighed deeply and pushed a few rebellious strands of hair out of her eyes.

"I must disagree with you, Miss Partana. I believe there are many things that could possibly interest me when concerning you." He stood there solemnly looking at her, taking in her willful energy and her underestimated presence. Amidst the sparkle and self-assuredness within her almond shaped eyes, a shadow of fear seemed to darken them for a moment and Severus nearly smiled with satisfaction. The truth about Avacia Elysiana Partana would soon be known to the world, he was sure of it.


	6. A Few Moments Alone

_Chapter 6: A Few Moments Alone_

She eyed the professor suspiciously and took a few measured breaths before responding to him. "What do you mean by that? What could possibly interest you?" Severus merely stared at her, enjoying her unease. She was tense; he could feel it. She was not scared, that much he knew, for it wasn't fear that reflected in her eyes, but panic.

"Why are you here, Miss Partana? I have it under good authority that you've come here from Beauxbatons and not only that, but that you have already finished all the required courses offered by that institution; is this true?" His eyes' fierce look was balanced by the calm settled across his features. He was cool and collected, knowing that he was asking the right questions while she was unsure and anxious, and Severus knew that he had her precisely where he wanted her. She looked away for a moment, but then stared back at him, with more courage than she had displayed before.

"You don't scare me, Professor. I want you to know that right now. I'm not sure what game you're trying to play here, but I do not want any part of it." She frowned angrily and clenched the small, weathered book in her hands. Severus sneered and gave a haughty guff as he leaned against the tree with languor.

"I assure you, girl, that this is no game. You can kindly explain to me the true reasons that you are here at Hogwart's or I can make sure that you are unhappy here for however long your stay is. It is your choice. I would like to know you better than I do currently. Is that so much to ask?"

Ava peered up into the dark obscurity of his eyes and she began to calculate the situation. On one hand, she was intelligent enough to know that if she needed to, she could hold out for at least a year with his brisk and utter bestiality, however, on the other hand, she did not know the professor well enough to really know whether he was a threat to her education and stay at the school. She did not speak for a few moments and the two just stood silently staring at one another, waiting for the next move.

"What you ask, sir, is more complex than you could truly imagine. My motives here are really none of your business but your infuriating pretentiousness and completely asinine relentlessness is much more than I really need at the moment. I promise you, I am who I have said that I am. My identity is nothing to dispute over because I have no need of falsity in that aspect of myself. I am Avacia Elysiana Partana, daughter of Lord Giovanni Marcarelus Partana and Lady Cerise Amarante Partana, who have both perished from causes that I cannot reveal, but concerned this war between the two sides of the wizarding world. I am the sole heir to my father's fortune and I have no one left in this world save for myself, and I am unafraid of what lies before me. Everything that you think you must know, I can most certainly tell you, under the premises that you will keep certain aspects about my life private, but I promise, you will not be any better off once you do know the truth." She was glowering fiercely and her stare was deep and penetrating.

"So you agree, then?" Severus asked carefully as he uncrossed his arms. She took a deep breath and sighed, tiredly.

"Yes, sir. I agree." She said softly, looking away for a moment towards the school. "Might we find someplace more private to talk?"

"Of course. The observatory is nearly always deserted, but I cannot always be sure. There is my study, though, if you wish."

Ava gave a small shrug of the shoulders and nodded her head lethargically. "Alright then, Professor Snape."

The pair set off towards the immense and beautiful castle and walked very far apart from one another. Every now and again, Snape would steal a glance at her, and saw the rather abashed expression upon her face. She wasn't enjoying this ruse at all, but Severus was rather pleased with himself. His personal vanity was not the cause though; he was simply glad that his wonderments would finally cease to be. Severus would talk to the girl and somehow, find a way to get her to talk about her past and what her dealings with forbidden acts in magic and potions were exactly. They walked in silence until the castle was near and then Ava spoke.

"Professor? Might I ask you something?" She said in her soft voice.

"What?" The professor replied gruffly.

"Why are you so interested in my past? It doesn't make much sense at all, really."

"It does, though, Miss Partana. It makes much sense, and the only reason that I have become so very interested in the little past experience that you could have, is that I know you are not what you seem to be. Perhaps you are only a student here at Hogwart's but, you are also a liar." He was very frank and did not even look at her as he spoke. Avacia's eyes were wide and her gasp was only more dramatic than she had really wanted to be.

"A liar, you say? How can you say that I am a liar when you do not even know me and have only met me a few days past?"

"I always know when someone is keeping something from me, and your little disappearing act by the lake was far too advanced for a mere seventh year student. You know plenty more about magic and the dark arts, I gather, than you let people be aware of. It's very dangerous to know more than you really should, you do know that."

"The dark arts," she began, staring in disbelief. "it really isn't fair that you just spout out such rubbish at your whimsy. What proof do you have that I have been involved with the dark arts?"

"None, yet." Severus continued to walk on and as they entered the castle, Ava was in near hysterics.

"Yet? Are you saying that you want to prove that I am, in some ridiculous way, involved with the death eaters? Really, because if that is what you are implying, I find no further need for a private conversation." Ava stopped in her tracks and stared daggers at the Professor. As he heard her footsteps stop, he slowed and turned back to her. With an eyebrow arched and a grim look upon his face, he placed his hands behind his back and began towards her. His footsteps echoed through the corridor and the most malevolent look appeared on his face.

As he stood over her, the girl fought the urge to shudder. "Listen, you little impostor, and listen well. We have come to an agreement. I can be your ally or I can be your enemy, either way, I do not care. It is up to you. However, you will be very, very sorry if you refuse this small and private conference with me in my study. Whether you reveal unto me your secrets or not, I will know them sooner or later, and when I do and you remain against me, I will not stop until you are removed from this institution and placed away somewhere for a very long time."

She stared at him in fearful surprise, her eyes darting from each of his. Severus continued. "If you were truly innocent of such crimes and fraud, you would not care of what I said. If you were blameless for anything horrible, you would merely walk away from me at this very moment, but you are not taking your leave, are you Miss Partana. I know that you have something dark hidden within the depths of your past, and I will find it. It is only a matter of time. So tell me. Do you really just want to leave now? Or perhaps, you'd rather speak to me and avoid the dire consequences?"

The girl's eyes were large and her mouth was drawn into a thin line. She opened it and she tried to speak but no sound came out. She nodded and looked down at the stone floor of the hall. "You win, professor…you win."

"I didn't win anything, Miss Partana. It is just that I have the upper hand at the moment, that's all. I do hope that you won't think any less of me because of this," Severus said sarcastically, a smug grin on his lips. "You're a very bright girl, I'm sure you will appreciate this when you're older." His slight chuckle was brutal-sounding and harsh, as Ava just stood there before him, bewildered and angry all at once.

"You think so highly of yourself, Professor. It doesn't suit you at all." Ava said flatly. "I do not understand at all how you can be so cruel." Severus regarded her with perplexity. Surely he wasn't cruel, or at least, in his mind, Severus had never considered himself cruel, although he had to admit, his malice at the moment was more than he had anticipated. He did not really know what to say, and so he ignored her remarks and decided to let it be.

"Let us be on our way then; there is undoubtedly much for us to discuss," he said quietly, turning his back to her.

The two walked quietly down the twisting stairwells and dark corridors to the dungeons and once they came to the professor's classroom, Ava tensed up, knowing that she would pay dearly for getting into such a situation as this. Could she really count on the professor's honesty or was he simply prying into her life because he was bored and useless? Really, she could not fathom the design by which she had ended up in the present situation and the feeling of lingering uncertainty seemed to peak as the professor quietly muttered the password, "locust breath," and the wooden door slowly swung open.

"Shall we go to the study then?" He asked without waiting for a response, it was in all actuality, more of a command than a question. She walked forward into the unplumbed darkness as he followed and closed the door softly behind him.


End file.
